Improvement in tension-wheels for sewing-machines



J. H MOONEY.

Tension Wheel for Sewing Machines.

No. 103,643. Patented May 31, 1870.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. MOONEY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, OALIFORN IA, ASSIGNOR TO SAMUEL HILL,OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN TENSION-WHEELS FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 103,643, dated May 31,1870.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. MOONEY, of San Francisco, in the county ofSan Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in a Tension-W heel for Sewing-Machines; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making apart of this specification, in which Figure 1 represents the tensiondevice in perspective. Fig. 2 represents a side view of the same. Fig. 3represents a longitudinal section. Fig. 4 represents one of the toothedplates, and Fig. 5 represents the hub or center piece detached. I

Similar letters of reference, where they occur in the several separatefigures, denote like parts in all of the drawings.

Thread-tension devices for sewing-machines have heretofore been madewith corrugated, in-

' dented, or zigzag teeth, or frictional bearingsurfaces for holding thethread from slipping, either when sewing or when the thread may havebeen cut. I lay no claim in this application to such frictional orbearing surfaces.

My invention consists in the manner of constructing thetension-wheelviz.,- by means of a h'ub having projections or depressionson its perimeter, and check-plates fastened to it, which have beveledteeth or spurs upon them, that overlap each other and interlock with theprojections or depressions on the hub, as will be explained.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

The hub or central portion of the threadtension wheel, as seen moreparticularly at a,

Fig. 5, has upon its perimeter teeth or projections 1 1 1, which leavedepressions, as it were, between them. The hub is further furnished witha central opening, I), for receiving the shaft or spindle A, upon whichit is to work, and with holes 2 2 for receiving a rivet or rivets forholding the cheeksB .B to it, said cheeks, as shown in Fig. 4, beingalso furnished with a central opening for the shaft, like that b in thehub, and rivet-holes 3 3.

The cheek-pieces B are furnished with spurs or teeth 4, made on abeveled rim thereon, and of such length or projection as that, whenplaced on each side of the hub, said teeth at their points willinterlock with each other and at the same time they will pass in betweenthe teeth 1 1 on the perimeter of the hub. The cheek-pieces arecountersunk, as at 5, so as to receive the hub therein, and when the huband cheek-pieces are laid together, and the rivets, screws, or pinspassed through the notched holes 2 2 and 3 3 and fastened, the wheelbecomes one firm piece, with a broken or zigzag surface or line for thethread passing around it in its groove to bear against.

A thread-guide, c, is first placed on the shaft A, and bears against theshoulder 01 thereon. Then a felt or other flexible or elastic pad isslipped on. Then the tension wheel, as a whole, is slipped onto saidshaft, then another elastic or felt pad, then a washer, e, a spiralspring, f, and a regulating-nut, g, which completes the device, andmakes it ready to be applied to a sewing-machine.

The ribs or projections 1 on the hub or wheel a prevent the thread fromgetting under the interlocking spurs or projections 4 4 of the sidepieces, so that, while a zigzag line is given to the thread that passesaround or only partly around the tension-wheel, there is no danger ofthe thread either getting fast, and thus breakin g, or of wearing thesurfaces against which it runs, so as to let it slip without anyholding.

The spurs or teeth 4 may be changed in form, but should always standwith a stud, tooth, or spur on one side, placed opposite a space on theopposite side of the groove.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim therein as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A thread-tension wheel for sewing-machines, composed of a toothedcentral hub and cheekpieces with beveled spurs, said teeth and spursinterlocking with each other, and the whole secured by rivets or otherwell-known devices, substantially as and for the purpose described.

JOHN H. MOONEY.

Witnesses:

L. P. OoLLINs, SAMUEL HILL.

